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THE plight of zoos and aquariums which still cannot access vital Government funding has been raised by Chester MP Chris Matheson. Zoos and aquariums across the UK have taken a big financial hit over the past 12 months, with a lot of their income generated by visitors. That has certainly been the case at Chester Zoo, which now has an £11.5 million financial hole caused from a series of lockdowns. Although the zoo was able to reopen earlier this month at last, following a three-month closure due to Covid restrictions, its visitor capacity is still some way below normal. Last year the Government announced a £100 million Zoo Animals Fund for zoos and aquariums at risk of closure due to the financial impact.
Due to Covid, some zoos are barely scraping enough cash to feed their animals
Credit: Getty
The meerkats Mosegi and Kimbia are one of the most popular species with the children, so they definitely noticed when we closed and the zoo became quiet,’ says Jamie Baker, zookeeper at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo. ‘The otters, too. Usually, we open at 10 o’clock. They get fed shortly after, so they run to the front of their enclosure and look for people coming towards them. Over time, they realised no one was coming, so they stopped bothering. The donkeys and pigs were all waiting at the gate in the morning, because people would usually come past and pat them on the head. Our African grey parrots, Barry and Becky, are our oldest animals – they’re 22 years old – and chatting to visitors is something they’ve enjoyed all their lives. Usually, they don’t shut up… they don’t speak at all now. We think they miss that interaction, so we go and play them music, just so they�
Banham Zoo and Africa Alive launch grand reopening Published: 12:00, 03 April 2021
Banham Zoo is ready to welcome customers back with open paws after announcing a date for the return of visitors.
The zoo will throw open its doors on April 12, with the first five days reserved for annual pass holders. Members of the public will then be invited to book slots from April 17 onwards.
Claudia Roberts, CEO of the Zoological Society of East Anglia (ZSEA), said: âWe are delighted to be reopening again and sharing our beautiful open spaces and diverse collection of animals with the community that have supported us so much over the last year.